Moon's tiny core hints at earthly origin
Two new studies support the notion that the moon formed when a Mars-size planet plowed into Earth several billion years ago.
References:
1999. Lunar data support idea that collision split Earth, moon. NASA Press Release. March 16.
Hood, L.L., et al. 1999. Initial measurements of the lunar induced magnetic moment in the geomagnetic tail using Lunar Prospector data. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. March. Houston.
Williams, J.G. . . . J.T. Ratcliff, et al. 1999. The Moon's molten core and tidal Q. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. March. Houston.
Further Readings:
Cowen, R. 1997. Modeling the moon's origin. Science News 152(Aug. 16):107.
Konopliv, A.S. . . . L.L. Hood . . . and J.G. Williams. 1998. Improved gravity field of the moon from Lunar Prospector. Science 281(Sept. 4):1476.
Sources:
Robin M. Canup
Southwest Research Institute
1050 Walnut Street
Suite 426
Boulder, CO 80302-5143
Lon L. Hood
University of Arizona
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory
Tucson, AZ 85721-0092
Alex Konopliv
California Institute of Technology
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Mailstop Code 238-332
Pasadena, CA 91109-8099
J. Todd Ratcliff
California Institute of Technology
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109-8099
James G. Williams
California Institute of Technology
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Mailstop Code 238-332
Pasadena, CA 91109
From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 13, March 27, 1999, p. 198. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
